sounds like some good news!

 

 

Shaking up the Square

Beachwood developer’s ‘day and night’ tactic drawing diverse mix of tenants to East Side shopping district

 

By JOHN BOOTH

 

6:00 am, January 30, 2006

 

Shaker Square may be one of a kind, but it's becoming very much a space with two faces.

 

Nearly two years after developer Peter Rubin's Coral Co. of Beachwood agreed to buy it, the historic shopping district on the Cleveland-Shaker Heights border is clearly being shaped by the company's 'day and night' approach.

 

'In terms of the tenant composition to achieve our theme for Shaker Square … we're right on track,' Mr. Rubin said. 'Its daytime (function is) to serve what we call the `city' of Shaker Square. The nighttime personality is cinema, food, entertainment and the arts.'

 

Mr. Rubin said Coral has met three of its four concrete goals since taking ownership: extending the lease of Shaker Square Cinemas, and bringing in Dave's Supermarket and Sergio Abramof's Sarava restaurant. The fourth hurdle — filling the northeast quadrant's anchor spot that formerly housed Joseph-Beth Booksellers — may be cleared soon.

 

Mr. Rubin would not confirm or deny a well-circulated rumor among Shaker Square business owners that a CVS drugstore will fill the quadrant, but he did say Coral is 'just weeks away from signing a major retailer for that space.'

 

 

Occupancy at the square is at 85%, Mr.Rubin said. When Coral bought the property in September 2004, it was 45% leased.

 

 

 

Different perspectives

 

Dewey Forward and his partner, Diane Armstrong, on Jan. 7 opened Dewey's Fair Trade Coffee and the adjoining Popcorn Shop Factory. At midafternoon on a recent cold, gray Tuesday, more than a dozen people were eating and drinking in the coffee shop.

 

Mr. Forward, who grew up in the area and hung out at the square as a kid, says things are going better than he expected.

 

'Shaker Square is just a market waiting to happen,' he said. 'It's got kind of a solid direction.'

 

Mr. Forward said the new 'night and day' approach is a good one.

 

'In the day, it's a neighborhood place:a drugstore, a dry cleaner, a grocery store you can buy staples in,' he said. 'At night, you have great restaurants. It's a different place.'

 

Merchant reactions to Coral's moves vary:Some are enthusiastic, while others are reserving judgment.

 

Shaker Square Beverages owner Dr. Gene Veronesi — who has, by his own admission, a 'soured' relationship with Coral stemming from philosophical differences about the square's direction and fines for late rent payment — decries the 'day and night' talk. He'd prefer a focus on garnering more daytime shopping traffic, and as he sees it, additions such as a dry cleaner, tax preparation firm H&R Block and the rumored CVS detract from the square's personality.

 

'We now have become ordinary,' he said. 'There's just really no sense of synergy here, or people coming from one place to another. Lord knows what Shaker Square will look like in three years.'

 

But Playmatters manager David Johannson, who has run the toy store since 1995, said the square is 'back on an upswing' under Coral's approach, which places a high value on a loyal customer base.

 

'They (Coral) recognize it's a neighborhood shopping center,' he said. 'It's not going to draw from far away, which is a good thing. It's a sustainable thing.'

 

 

 

More to come

 

Plans to revamp the public space comprising the center of the square — areas that are adjacent to the RTA rapid transit tracks and are dubbed the North Lawn and the South Lawn — still are in the works, Mr. Rubin said. Concepts for an amphitheater on the south side and 'reading gardens and a very iconic water sculpture' on the north are complete, Mr. Rubin said, though it will be awhile before they're a reality.

 

'We're now going into the fund-raising stage of getting those built,' he said. 'The next step is a series of community meetings. I don't think we'll see construction until the spring of 2007.'

 

Negotiations also are under way to add another restaurant, which would occupy a space temporarily used by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

 

As for adding residential housing, another component of the redevelopment Coral originally proposed, Mr. Rubin said it's still part of the long-range plan, with market research for the project likely to be done this year.

 

 

I find the bit about Shaker Square Beverage interesting.  Sounds like sour grapes.

 

I also disagree with his assessment. I think Shaker Square can only thrive if it serves the neighborhood.  It will be unique if it serves the neighborhood (there are not too many places in Cleveland that actually can do that).  I think this two-themed strategy is a great idea.  It keeps the place lively and relevant all day.  As I look to buy a new home, it is a big draw if I can walk to buy all my basic necessities.

I agree, wimwar.  Shaker Square has become one of my favorite night-time destinations...perfect for the dinner & a movie theme.  Problem is, every time I visit, I wish I'd left home a couple hours earlier so I could soak it all in a bit more! 

 

If there is a downside, it's a couple missing retailers.  With Joseph Beth or another bookseller, or perhaps another clothier, the Square could suit my tastes even more.  However, as a neighborhood shopping center, which it is, a pharmacy might be a better fit.  It's just too bad that it'll be CVS (apparently) occupying that beautiful space!

 

Bottom line with me is that it's almost fully occupied and there are people there all hours of the day.  If you ask me, Coral is doing a fantastic job!

Agreed. The last developer tried making the Square into a regional draw, and he failed. The new philosophy of serving the neighborhood, on the other hand, has made the Square more bustling and vibrant than it has ever been, in my memory (which stretches back about 20 years, when I used to go there with my family after church).

 

On a side note, CVS in that gi-normous Joseph-Beth space??? I think it's a good idea to have a drug store, but can CVS really fill it all?

I think CVS can certainly fill a lot of that space- since JB's departure, the interior has been at least partially reconfigured.  It's not glamorous but I think a drug store there will boost foot traffic.  JB killed some of the magic of that quadrant for me anyhow by replacing the beautiful old flagstone terrace and hedge with the new front entry.

 

I think the next big question for the square is what is to become of the dumpy, un-affiliated retail strip behind the southeast quadrant?  With the existing CVS out and the questionable future of the existing super market in there (thanks to the aw some new Dave's), I wonder if this is an opportunity for a significant redevelopment (e.g., tear down and replace with mixed use).

maybe i'm missing something, so the square will get an oversized CVS, to replace the moderately sized one they already have?

The crappy CVS is not part of Shaker Square.  That little strip is owned by someone else. 

still my point is, that there already is a seeminlgy adequate cvs a 40 second walk from the square.

And a very valid point that is...

 

The article is looking at Shaker Square as an investment that Coral has made.  If he leases out the former JB spot, the entire area is effectively leased and the Square has healthy again.  I would prefer a better CVS. The current one is as dumpy as they come. 

 

But, if there were a more exciting tenant who could fill that space, it would be better than a drugstore.  A good drugstore is important for the tenant mix, though.

 

What else could you put there?  I can't think of anything better than a large bookstore.  Given the fact that there is a good chance that B & N will build a large bookstore at Ford & Euclid, I wouldn't want competition at Shaker Square.  It will take a while before Cleveland's market could absorb a major bookstore at Ford/Euclid, Shaker Square and at Severance.

 

Given the fact that there is a good chance that B & N will build a large bookstore at Ford & Euclid, I wouldn't want competition at Shaker Square.  It will take a while before Cleveland's market could absorb a major bookstore at Ford/Euclid, Shaker Square and at Severance.

 

Is this one intended to replace the soon relocated Thwing center? I for some reason thought B&Noble ran the Thwing one anywya.....

I find the bit about Shaker Square Beverage interesting.  Sounds like sour grapes.

 

I also disagree with his assessment. I think Shaker Square can only thrive if it serves the neighborhood.  It will be unique if it serves the neighborhood (there are not too many places in Cleveland that actually can do that).  I think this two-themed strategy is a great idea.  It keeps the place lively and relevant all day.  As I look to buy a new home, it is a big draw if I can walk to buy all my basic necessities.

 

As a resident of Shaker Square for the past um-teen years, I wholeheartedly agree.  I didn't miss joseph beth I would like to see a borders, but I have to admit.  I still miss Pier East Restaurant!

 

With all the new people on the square and Larchmere and Buckeye both thriving, SS is becoming back strong. 

 

I can't wait for summer

 

geez i move out of the square, and look what happens.

 

While i lived there: Joseph-beth and the gap both closed under my watch. And the only open for a month cocorian art gallery/antique place

Someone please keep The Pope out of town.

and then...

 

 

Ann Taylor is leaving Shaker Square

 

3:40 p.m.

 

National women's clothing retailer Ann Taylor is ending its lease at the Shaker Square shopping center in Cleveland, said Beachwood-based Coral Co., the center's owner.

 

Ann Taylor will leave its store at Shaker Square by May 4. Coral CEO Peter Rubin said a handful of potential merchants have expressed an interest in moving into the historic shopping center. Occupancy at Shaker Square is at 75%, up from 45% when Coral took it over in September 2004.

Oh well.

I kind of expected to hear this at some point, but still unfortunate to lose one of the last big names.  At the same time I have little worry that they'll have the space leased out to a new tenant in a relatively short amount of time.  CoRal seems to be doing quite well with assembling a compatible mix of tenants that keeps that area buzzing for a good part of the day and night.

its a shame because it is good to have a convenient store for bland ladies business clothes handy. otoh, the square has turned around and is doing so well since coral took over i doubt its much of a loss to them. i bet they fill the space soon.

That is a real shame since it certainly served a niche for the Square.  And the times I have been in there with the other half, the Loft always seemed busy.  Hopefully, they can snag another womens store to fill their niche and to keep attracting the daytime shoppers. 

well, this sucks!  I've made several trips there since moving home to buy some "bland" women's clothing for my girl, sisters and mom.  As a matter of taste, I don't find their stuff bland at all.  And their prices were always right on the money!

well the square could do better with some younger hip stores, since the neighborhood is has good mix of ages and incomes and is the heart of three neighborhoods and Western Shaker Hts.

 

I personally would like to see some zara, banana republic, a jean store (Brooklyn Union, levi's store), Nine West, Club Monaco, Kenneth Cole, Puma, Circuit City, A home furnishing store (a west elm or pottery barn or William Sonoma), GNC a Spa (aveda or bliss) & a Gym as well as mix of "one-of-a-kind" local stores.  The Icing on the cake would be to bring back Pier East

^MGD, there's still a store in either the Galleria or Tower City, if memory serves.

fyi,  ann taylor wanted to stay as business was quite good, unfortunately coral would not renew their lease. 

"MGD, there's still a store in either the Galleria or Tower City, if memory serves."

 

There was an Ann Taylor in both the Galleria and Tower City - operative word, was - as the Galleria store closed recently.

 

 

fyi,  ann taylor wanted to stay as business was quite good, unfortunately coral would not renew their lease. 

 

Since the source for the release was Rubin, I don't know why they didn't spin it more positively saying something along the lines of him wanting to change the mix of stores.

I was browsing the web and found some interesting visions for Shaker Square on the Coral Company's site... http://www.thecoralcompany.com/new_shaker_square.html ...but first they note these existing and new retailers:

 

Yours Truly Restaurant

Shaker Square Beverage

Fire – Food & Drink

Playmatters

Breeds Apart

Alexander's Floral Design

Captain Tony’s Gourmet Pizza

Sushi on the Square

Shaker Square Cinemas

Luchita’s Mexican Restaurant

Dodd Camera

Noire Blanc A Color Salon

Details Accessory Gallery

Ann Taylor Loft

US Bank

Everything Birkenstock

Balaton Restaurant

Designer Glass

Corcoran Fine Art

Sergio's Savará

Dewey's Fair Trade Coffee

Shaker Square Popcorn Shop Factory

H & R Block

CMA@ Shaker Square

Dave's Supermarket

East Coast Original Custard

Curves for Women

 

Plus, they also have some renderings of plans for a streetscape and a new residential building, described in this text from the web site (see images below)...

 

Meanwhile, Coral will invest several hundred thousand dollars in new signage, lighting and other landscaping improvements. An eight-story condominium complex and new parking deck could also be in the offering.

 

 

 

I remember reading an interview with Rubin about the Square. He said that the condo tower could happen in the future.  It definitely seemed like a back burner thing that he'd like to consider in a few years. 

Good find, KJP!

Thanks. I hope this condo building is more than just a dream. But I can't tell from the rendering where they propose to build it. Anyone else know?

^I think it would be the large surface lot behind what used to be the book store.  If coral ever gets serious about that part (and I would love to see an infusion of dense housing around the square) I predict some major squawking from the single family houses just to the east of the lot.

Plus, if a pharmacy is really in the works for the space, I can't see the tenant giving up space for a drive-thru and parking in the rear of the building.

So seriously, when are we all going to pool our pennies, buy the crappy retail strip behind the southeast quadrant and build KJP's TOD paradise?

^I have a coin jar that hasn't been emptied into Coinstar lately. I'm game.

^I think it would be the large surface lot behind what used to be the book store.  If coral ever gets serious about that part (and I would love to see an infusion of dense housing around the square) I predict some major squawking from the single family houses just to the east of the lot.

 

Why?  the lot is next to the back yards of apartment buildings.  shaker square is one of the neighborhoods in cleveland where the blocks work together to improve the area overall.

 

MTS, I share your appreciation of the square (it's my Cleveland address too).  I was just thinking about the long afternoon shadows an 8 story slab would cast over the single-family homes on Kemper just east of the lot, but I certainly don't know for sure if it would raise a howl.  I would certainly love to see something built on part of that lot.

MTS, I share your appreciation of the square (it's my Cleveland address too).  I was just thinking about the long afternoon shadows an 8 story slab would cast over the single-family homes on Kemper just east of the lot, but I certainly don't know for sure if it would raise a howl.  I would certainly love to see something built on part of that lot.

 

I live in the courts.  We currently overshadow most of Cormere.  And the apartment building at the corner of larchmere & Kemper has a huge garden (which isn't visible from N. Moreland) on Kemper.  This building was my first apartment building I lived in and I was shocked to find out they had this much "green" space.  Besides I think there are only 2 or 3 three homes on the southern (southeastern) part of Kemper.

Still would have been nice had Joseph-Beth not headed out to Legacy Village, but at least this will be a new store that'll fill one of the dwindling number of vacancies left on the Square.

 

New CVS to break ground in late 2006

Thursday, August 03, 2006

By Karen Kurdziel

The Sun Press

 

CLEVELAND _ It's been an open secret that a CVS pharmacy will eventually move into space at Shaker Square formerly occupied by Joseph-Beth Booksellers.

 

 

This makes me sad, honestly.

What in the world is an open secret anyway? Is that like an honest lie?

HELL...I SAY BRING BACK PIER EAST!!!

 

 

wait -- i don't remember, is there any drug store in the square already?

 

i mean cvs may be the kudzu or crabgrass of chains, but ya do need a drug store in the square.

Well, its moving from that strip center that is very close to the square. Look, I would much rather have a beautiful bookstore at this location, but I do see this as a positive for the square.  It will increase foot traffic and that benefits the other shops.  Shaker Square will only be strong if it serves its neighborhood. 

^ nowthatswhatimtalkingabout. agreed.

As a recent emigrant from the Square, it makes me a little sad. It is such a unique space, and I hate to see it go to CVS to be honest. And frankly, it wasn't like I was walking a mile to another drug store; it was right around the freaking corner! I've been happy to see the Square filling in a little, but I'm disappointed that it's been at heavy expense to the Van Aken plaza. Among other tenants, Coral has picked up CVS, a drycleaner and a grocery store; meanwhile, Van Aken Plaza is home to ... a CVS, drycleaner and grocery store (not that I'm comparing Dave's and Market on the Square ... Dave's is markedly better). I guess I just wish there was some way to recruit and retain tenants on a larger scale between the two developments.

^Actually, I hope this is one more step towards the demise, demo and redevelopment of that depressing Van Aiken strip center.  That place is pretty dreary-I'd love to see new housing there as well as on the parkng lot across the street to the south.

Shaker Square lands construction firm

Posted by Henry J. Gomez February 23, 2007 10:09AM

Categories: Breaking News, Economic development

The Crowley Group, a construction management firm based in Cleveland Heights, plans to relocate its 20-employee headquarters to Shaker Square this spring.

 

The move will bring the historic Cleveland landmark, which is being rehabbed as a mixed-use neighborhood by The Coral Co. of University Heights, its largest office tenant. Crowely will occupy 7,600 square feet -- almost double what it has atop a Giant Eagle on Cedar Road.

 

More at:

http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2007/02/shaker_square_lands_constructi.html

i was always worried how they would work in the second floor above the CVS, glad to see its not going to waste.

Occupancy has risen from 45 percent to 85 percent?? Boy, what does that tell you about the former owner! And I heard people telling me that the neighborhood surrounding Shaker Square was going down the tubes and was taking the square with it. Now, it seems that this death sentence was premature. I think it shows what happens when a quality owner steps in. The sheer density of that neighborhood should be sufficient to sustain Shaker Square with only its walk-in trade. Add to that the rapid and the parking, there's no reason Shaker Square should fade as long the neighborhood housing vacancy rates are kept in check.

Maybe it's just me, but the proof seems to be that the neighborhood stores are working, serving the neighborhood, making Shaker vibrant day and night. Ann Taylor was like a vestige of the attempt to make it a regional draw. If people want to shop for stores like Ann Taylor they can go to Beachwood Mall; and apparently they are! I agree with the others here who say get neighborhood stuff there, like a bookstore or restaurant or something the thousands who live there can walk to.

Since when has shaker square been an area precieved to be going bad?

 

I've always thought of Shaker Square-Larchmere as one of the best Cleveland neighborhoods.

 

Its financially, socially, sexually, racially and ethnically diverse with great restaurants, stores and great apartments.

 

When I was at home over the holidays it was packed with movie goers and foodies.

 

I don't know what the stores are doing as I was there in the early evening and late evening both times.

 

Did something happen to the area that greatly changed it?

I was there with another tour group today and they were loving it!  They loved the movie theater, grocery, pet shop, sidewalk dining, rapid lines, and especially the farmer's market!  And this is in the dead of winter...albeit a very beautiful day.  Shaker Square is representing well to me and to the fresh eyes of newcomers... I'm happy to be able to show it off!